Experience Helps El Duque

The New York Yankees used Orlando Hernandez’s
playoff experience and Oakland’s lack of it to move within one win
of the AL championship series.

Hernandez, pitching without his best stuff, won his sixth
straight postseason decision, and the Yankees capitalized on the
Athletics’ shoddy defense to win 4-2 Friday night and take a 2-1
series lead.

Written off by many after losing the opener to Oakland—their
eighth straight loss dating to the regular season—the two-time
defending World Series champions will send Roger Clemens (13-8) to
the mound in Game 4 Saturday night against rookie Barry Zito (7-4).

Hernandez battled through seven tough innings—with help from
his defense—before turning the game over to closer Mariano
Rivera, who wrapped up New York’s 10th straight postseason win at
Yankee Stadium.

El Duque allowed two runs, four hits and five walks, needing 130
pitches to do it. The Cuban defector had a sub-.500 regular season,
but improved to 6-0 with a 1.24 ERA in seven postseason starts.

Capitalized on A’s Two Errors

The Yankees couldn’t mount much offensively against Tim Hudson,
but took advantage of two errors, a couple of defensive lapses and
two infield choppers to score their runs.

The A’s, who have eight players who are 25-years old or younger,
insisted that they wouldn’t be spooked by playing at Yankee
Stadium. But their play in the field indicated otherwise.

Bernie Williams led off the second inning with a double for New
York and Paul O’Neill chopped a one-out infield single over
Hudson’s head for his first hit of the series.

Glenallen Hill then hit a chopper that Hudson was able to field.
But the 25-year-old right-hander threw home with no chance to catch
the speedy Williams. Giving up the easy out at first ended up
costing Hudson when Derek Jeter hit a two-out infield single to
give New York a 2-1 lead.

New York added another run in the fourth with help from a bad
decision in the field by Oakland. With Luis Sojo on first and no
outs, Scott Brosius bunted in front of the plate. Catcher Ramon
Hernandez, 24, went for the tough play at second, but his high
throw hit off shortstop Miguel Tejada’s glove, sending Sojo to
third on the error. Jeter gave New York a 3-1 lead with an RBI
forceout.

Sojo added a run-scoring single with two outs in the eighth, his
fourth RBI of the series. A’s center fielder Terrence Long slipped
after fielding the ball, and was helped off the field.

Hernandez did the rest for the Yankees, proving once again that
he is New York’s October ace.

Mariners Squeeze a Sweep—

Shutting down the highest-scoring team in the majors for the
third straight game, the wild card Mariners beat the Chicago White
Sox 2-1 on pinch-hitter Carlos Guillen’s bunt single in the bottom
of the ninth inning today to win their AL playoff series.

The Mariners, who didn’t clinch their playoff spot until the
final day of the regular season, won with one out when pinch-runner
Rickey Henderson scored on Guillen’s safety-squeeze bunt.

John Olerud led off the inning with a hard liner off the stomach
of Kelly Wunsch. The reliever scrambled to pick up the ball, but
threw it wildly past first baseman Frank Thomas.

Olerud reached second on a play scored as a single and an error.
Henderson, baseball’s career stolen base king and second on the
all-time runs list, replaced Olerud, and Keith Foulke relieved
Wunsch.

Henderson moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Stan Javier and
David Bell drew a four-pitch walk.